LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - After almost four years of development, Sci Fi Channel has given the green light to "Anonymous Rex," a two-hour movie based on Eric Garcia's series of comedic mystery novels.

The books center on Vincent Rubio, a high-tech private investigator who, along with hundreds of others on Earth, is in fact a dinosaur (in his case, Velociraptor). They never became extinct. Instead, they have evolved to be 6 feet tall and have integrated themselves into modern society by disguising themselves with human-looking latex costumes.

The movie will serve as a "backdoor pilot," meaning that it could turn into a series if the ratings warrant. Sci Fi has commissioned two more scripts.

"Rex" has been a passion project for Sci Fi Channel president Bonnie Hammer for five years, since she read the first book in the series, 1999's "Anonymous Rex." The cable channel first put it into development in 2000.

"It feels like this is the time for this concept to come to fruition," said Mark Stern, Sci Fi's executive vp original programming. "I think the technology is really in the right place, and we can execute the dinosaurs and the fantasy elements in the right way for the money."

Screenwriter Joe Menosky (UPN's "Star Trek: Voyager") based the pilot not on "Anonymous Rex" but on its follow-up, "Casual Rex," which is actually the "Anonymous" prequel.

Production, which will involve CG animation as well as some prosthetic and animatronic effects, is slated to begin in March under the helm of Julian Jarrold (BBC/PBS' "Great Expectations").